Abstract
An exploration of physiological correlates of subjective hedonic responses while eating food has practical and theoretical significance. Previous psychophysiological studies have suggested that some physiological measures, including facial electromyography (EMG), may correspond to hedonic responses while viewing food images or drinking liquids. However, whether consuming solid food could produce such subjective–physiological concordance remains untested. To investigate this issue, we assessed participants’ subjective ratings of liking, wanting, valence, and arousal while they consumed gel-type food stimuli of various flavors and textures. We additionally measured their physiological signals, including facial EMG from the corrugator supercilii. The results showed that liking, wanting, and valence ratings were negatively correlated with corrugator supercilii EMG activity. Only the liking rating maintained a negative association with corrugator supercilii activity when the other ratings were partialed out. These data suggest that the subjective hedonic experience, specifically the liking state, during food consumption can be objectively assessed using facial EMG signals and may be influenced by such somatic signals.
Highlights
IntroductionThe physiological correlates of subjective hedonic experiences (e.g., liking and wanting) during food consumption is important practically and theoretically
The physiological correlates of subjective hedonic experiences during food consumption is important practically and theoretically
Some clues suggest the possibility that facial electromyography (EMG) activity may be associated with hedonic responses during food consumption
Summary
The physiological correlates of subjective hedonic experiences (e.g., liking and wanting) during food consumption is important practically and theoretically. Physiological measures are expected to provide objective, unbiased measures of hedonic responses. Physiological activity may be an important element producing hedonic experiences while eating. This idea appears not to be frequently discussed in food preference studies, James [2] and several subsequent researchers [3,4] have proposed that physiological activation constitutes the essence of the subjective experience of emotion. Some clues suggest the possibility that facial electromyography (EMG) activity may be associated with hedonic responses during food consumption. EMG activity recorded from the corrugator supercilii and zygomatic major muscles, which are related to brow lowering and lip corner pulling actions, Nutrients 2020, 12, 1174; doi:10.3390/nu12041174 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients
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